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REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON.  D.  D. 

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PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


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PRAISE      IN     THE     SANCTUARY 


&>■ 


A    SERMON, 


PREACHED  BY  APPOINTMENT,  BEFORE 


THE  SYNOD  OF  NEW-YORK  AND  NEW-JERSEY, 


liOJSTESJD^'^l^E,      i*^^.,      OCiOBISR     ISth,      lSG-±. 


BY    THE 

REV.  THOMAS   S.  HASTINGS, 

P  A  S  T  <J  K       «>  K        THE         \V  E  -■?  T        P  U  E  S  B  V   r  E  U  1  A  N        C  H  I.   H  C  H  ,       N  E  \V  -  Y  U  IJ  K  . 


PUBLISHED    BY    DIRECTION    OF    THE     SYNOD. 


JOHX  A.  GRAY  k  GREEX,  PRINTERS,  STEREOTYPERS,  AND   BINDERS, 

F  I  R  E  -  P  K  O  O  K         BUILDINGS, 

CORNEK     OF     JACOB     AND     FRANKFORT     STREE.S. 


1865. 


NOV    '^   1^"^ 

PRAISE     IjS"     the     sanctuary.      ,l  8 


A    SEEMO^, 


PREACHED  BY  APPOINTMENT,  BEFORE 


THE.  SYNOD  OF  NEW-YORK  AND  NEW-JERSEY, 


[HOIN-ESD^LE,     I>^.,     OCTOBER     IStli,     1S64. 


BY   THE  M/ 

REY.  THOMAS  S.  HASTINGS, 

PASTOR      OF       THE       "WEST       PRESBYTERIAN       CHURCH,      NEW-YORK 


PUBLISHED    BY    DIKECTION    OF    THE    SYISTOD. 


JOHX  A.  GRAY  &  GREEN,  PRINTERS,  STEREOTYPERS,  AND  BINDERS, 

FIRE-PROOF        BUILDINGS, 
COKNER    OF    JACOB     AND     FRANKFORT    STREETS. 


1865. 


PRAISE  IN  THE  SANCTUARY. 


"  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom ;  teaching  and  admon- 
ishing one  another  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  with  grace  in 
your  hearts  to  the  Lord." — Col.  3:16. 

The  text  slioiild  be  so  punctuated  as  to  read  tlms  :  '*  Let  the 
word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly;  in  all  wisdom  teaching 
and  admonishing  one  another ;  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spir- 
itual songs  singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  to  the  Lord." 
So  the  verse  is  divided  in  the  edition  of  Hahn's  Greek  Testa- 
ment, edited  by  my  revered  and  beloved  teacher,  the  late 
Dr.  Edward  Robinson.  This  change  in  punctuation  should 
not  be  made  merely  for  the  accommodation  of  those  who  hold 
that  only  such  hymns  are  appropriate  for  use  in  the  sanctuary, 
as  are  strictly  hymns  of  praise ;  for  some  of  the  psalms  are 
didactic,  and  the  rigid  enforcement  of  such  a  principle  would 
rob  our  hymnology  of  some  of  its  choicest  treasures,  and 
would  divest  it  of  much  of  its  practical  efficiency.  We  ac- 
cept the  criticism  upon  the  punctuation  of  tlie  text ;  but  in 
the  full  conviction  that  both  didactic  and  admonitory  hymns 
have  a  right  to  that  position  in  our  psalmody,  which  the  expe- 
rience of  the  Church  has  assigned  them. 

"  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly :"  when  the 
word  so  possesses  the  heart  and  brain  of  the  Church  as  to 
press  for  utterance,  then  the  Church  will  sing,  "  making 
melody  in  her  heart  to  the  Lord."  This  has  always  been  the 
case,  as  we  shall  presently  have  occasion  to  show. 

The  distinction  which  is  made  in  the  text  between  the 
different  vehicles  of  praise  must  be  noticed  in  passing.  By 
"Psalms"  we  are  to  understand  the  Hebrew  book  of  that 
name,  which  was   in  common   use   in  the   synagogues:  the 


4:  PEAISE   IN  THE  SANCTCJAEY. 

"  Hymns  "  were  independent  compositions,  sucb.  as  are  now 
in  use :  the  "  Spiritual  songs"  {(l)daLg  nyevfiariKotg)  were  proba- 
bly sucli  religious  songs  as  were  more  appropriate  for  per- 
sonal than  for  congregational  uses. 

"  Singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  to  the  Lord," — this 
determines  the  spirituality  of  the  service.  It  must  not  be 
merely  formal  and  artistic :  it  must  be  such  as  the  Searcher  of 
hearts  will  receive  :  it  must  be  heartfelt  and  sincere.  Such 
are  the  teachings  of  the  text  in  relation  to  the  theme  which 
the  Synod  have  assigned  me — "  Praise  in  the  Sanctuary. ^^ 

The  proper  limits  of  discourse  compel  me  to  pass  by  many 
things  which  it  would  be  interesting  to  consider.  I  shall 
treat  the  subject  historically^  theoretically,  and  practically. 

I.  The  history  of  Psalmody  is  full  of  instruction.  We  have 
time  for  only  a  brief  and  cursory  survey.  I  shall  presume 
on  your  familiarity  with  very  much  that  belongs  to  this  part 
of  our  discussion,  and  shall  notice  only  those  salient  points 
which  will  aid  us  most  directly  in  reaching  and  resting  in 
practical  conclusions. 

In  the  days  of  Solomon,  of  the  thirty-eight  thousand  Le- 
vites,  four  thousand  were  set  apart  to  praise  the  Lord  with 
the  instruments  of  music  which  David  had  made.*  Two 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  chosen  cunning  men  were  ''  in- 
structed in  the  songs  of  the  Lord."f  So  in  the  tabernacle 
and  in  the  temple,  both  the  instrumental  and  vocal  perform- 
ers were  selected  from  among  the  Levites ;  and  they  were  not 
merely  selected,  but  they  were  specifically  trained  for  the  ser- 
vice of  praise  in  the  solemn  assembly.  You  will  notice  here 
these  facts :  That  this  interest  was  not  expected  to  regulate 
itself  without  special  provision  and  culture  ;  that  it  was  not 
committed  to  strangers  to  the  commonwealth  of  Israel ;  but 
only  to  those  who  stood  nearest  to  the  altar ;  and  that  the 
music  was  both  instrumental  and  vocal.  These  are  all  the 
points  that  we  need  to  emphasize  in  the  Old  Testament  his- 
tory of  this  branch  of  worship. 

We  pass  on  to  New  Testament  times.  It  was  natural  that 
Christianity,  finding  art  so  thoroughly  paganized,  and  so 
essentially  involved  with  the  old  idolatries,  should  be  slow  in 

*    1  Chron.  23:5.  f  1  Chron.  25  :  7. 


PKAISE  IN  THE  SANCTUAET.  5 

rescuing  and  culturing  even  the  one  art  wliicli  was  most 
necessary  to  her,  and  should,  for  a  time  at  least,  discard  all 
the  other  arts.  Music  she  must  have,  but  architecture,  and 
sculpture,  and  painting  she  would  not  have.  After  a  time 
she  received  them,  and  used  them  with  marked  effects ;  but 
when  piety  declined,  then  the  Church  began  to  cherish  the 
arts  for  their  own  sakes,  and  not  for  what  they  could  do  in 
serving  spiritual  ends,  and  this  proved  disastrous.  Art  and 
religion  both  suffered  by  the  mistake  ;  for,  when  the  Refor- 
mation dawned,  art  was  robbed  of  its  highest  dignity  and 
privilege,  namely,  to  serve  religion  ;  and  so,  compelled  to 
abandon  religious  subjects,  it  turned  to  those  which  were 
unworthy  and  trivial,  and  was  thereby  degraded.  In  not  a 
few  churches  in  the  Low  Countries  the  portraits  of  gen- 
erals and  of  statesmen  were  suspended,  when  a  religious  pic- 
ture would  not  have  been  tolerated,  but  would  have  been 
denounced  as  a  desecration.  Whenever  art  has  usurped  the 
higher  place,  and  attempted  to  patronize  instead  of  promot- 
ing and  serving  religion,  it  has  sooner  or  later  been  compelled 
to  vacate  not  only  its  ^isiirjped  but  even  its  rightful  throne, 
and  to  suffer  a  long  humiliation  as  the  just  penalty  of  its 
presumption.  Such  is  the  significant  and  important  testi- 
mony of  history.  But  we  are  advancing  too  rapidly,  and 
must  retrace  our  steps  for  a  moment. 

Of  the  Christians  of  apostolic  times  we  read  that  "  they 
were  continually  in  the  temple,  praising  and  blessing  God  ;" 
and  that  "  they  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and  single- 
ness of  heart,  praising  God."  Our  Saviour  himself,  by  his 
own  example,  consecrated  forever  the  service  of  sacred  song. 
I  have  not  time  to  quote  the  testimony  of  Augustine,  and 
Hilary,  and  Chrysostom,  and  of  others,  as  to  the  customs  of 
the  Church  in  the  early  centuries.  The  primitive  Christians 
were  marked  in  history  by  the  fact  that  they  sung  hymns  to 
the  praise  of  Christ.  Music  as  an  art  was  yet  in  its  infancy ; 
harmony  was  unknown ;  and  melody  was  only  rudimentally 
understood.  The  singing  of  the  Old  Testament  and  of  apos- 
tolic times  was  a  mere  melodic  utterance  of  the  sacred  words. 
In  the  fourth  century  choirs  were  introduced.  As  the  art 
advanced,  and  was  better  understood,  the  effort  was  made 


6  PRAISE   IN  THE   SANCTUARY. 

more  and  more  to  deprive  the  people  of  their  share  in  this 
part  of  worship,  by  introducing  music  which  they  could  not 
sing.     Ere  long  the  clergy  entirely  monopolized  the  service, 
by  singing   only  in   Latin.      From   the   seventh   century  to 
the  Eeformation,  the  people  had  no  psalm  nor  hymn,  but  were 
silent    in   the   sanctuary.      There   were   indeed    exceptional 
cases,  but  this  was  the  rule."^     At  the  dawn  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, all  this  was  changed.     In  France,  at  the  suggestion  of 
Beza,  Marot,  the  poet  of  the  Court,  prepared  and  published 
a  version  of  a  few  of  the  Psalms  in  French  rhymes.     They 
were  received  with  immense  favor.     Calvin  adopted  them, 
and  published  them  in  Geneva,  with  a  preface  from  his  own' 
pen.     So  popular  did  they  become  in  France,  that  the  Sor- 
bonne,  though  at  first  favoring  them,  felt  itself  compelled  at 
length,  to  condemn  and  oppose   their  use.     Luther,  as  you 
know,  was  not  idle.     He   spent  much  time  in  looking  for 
some  one  who  could  write  psalms  and  hymns  for  the  people  ; 
and  then  published  a  small  book  in  which  the  music  and  the 
hymns   were   mostly  of  his  own  composition.     The   people 
received  this  new  treasure  with  the  utmost  avidity.     Psalms 
and  ]jymns  became  the  popular  ballads.     At  Augsburg,  in 
1551,  three  or  four  thousand  peoj^le  were  often  heard  singing 
together.     Burney  says  that  at  the  hour  of  morning  and  even- 
ing domestic  worship,  whole  villages  were  resonant  with  the 
praises  of  God.     In  the  schools,  founded  imder  the  supervi- 
sion of  Luther  and  Melancthon,  nearly  one  fourth  of  the  time 
was  devoted  to  musical  instruction.      The  epithet,  '''jysalm- 
singer^'^  became  as  common  and  as  opprobrious  as  heretic. 
This  "  infectious  frenzy  of  sacred  song,"  as  it  was  styled,  soon 
invaded  Ens^land.     The  new  want  there  was  met  and  satisfied 
with  the  rude  metrical  version  of  the  Psalms  prepared  by 
Sternhold   and   Hopkins  — "  men,"   as    Fuller   expressed  it, 
"  whose  piety  was  better  than  their  poetry,  and  who  had 
drank  more  of  Jordan  than  of  Helicon."     Tlieir  work  has 
been  much  ridiculed,  but,  as  I  think,  profanely  ;  for  it  served 
a  high  and  holy  purpose,  and  was  equal  to  the  demands  and 
capacities  of  its  age.     Tate  and  Brady  followed  with  their 

*  Caesarius,  Bishop  of  Aries,  about  500  b.c.     See  Meander's  "  Light  in  Dark 
riaces"  P-  V6,  sq. 


PRAISE   IN  THE   SANCTUARY.  7 

popular  versifications ;  and  others  not  so  conspicuous  added 
more  or  less  to  tlie  liymnology.  But  soon  a  new  epocli 
dawned. 

A  Christian  mother,  training  her  children  with  patient  care, 
sought  to  develop  in  them  that  love  of  poetry  which  was 
her  own  characteristic.  After  school  hours  she  sometimes 
induced  them  to  compose  a  few  lines,  by  offering  tliem  the 
reward  of  a  farthing.  On  one  occasion  the  older  son  pro- 
duced this  couplet : 

"  I  write  not  for  a  farthing  ;  but  to  try 
How  I  your  farthing  writers  can  outvie." 

It  was  Isaac  Watts.  With  him  began  the  new  epoch  of 
psalmody.  I  need  not  and  cannot  stop  to  pronounce  the 
accustomed  and  deserved  eulogy  upon  his  name.  Among  the 
least  of  his  honors  is  the  fact  that  room  has  been  made  for 
him  in  Westminster  Abbey.  His  name  is  inscribed  upon  the 
heart  of  the  Church  forever.  He  was  not  satisfied  to  give 
us  the  Psalms  of  David,  as  he  expressed  it  in  his  title-page, 
"  imitated  in  the  language  of  the  J^ew  Testament,  and  adapt- 
ed to  the  Christian  state  of  worship ;"  he  contended  for  a 
larger  liberty  and  wider  range.  He  professed  to  be  unable  to 
understand  why  "  we  under  the  Gospel  should  sing  nothing  else 
but  the  joys,  fears,  and  hopes  of  Asaph  and  David."  He  ima- 
gined that  "  David  would  have  thought  it  very  hard  to  be 
confined  to  the  words  of  Moses,  and  to  have  sung  nothing 
else  in  all  his  rejoicing  days,  but  the  drowning  of  Pharoah 
in  the  fifteenth  of  Exodus."  Amid  much  and  bitter  opposi- 
tion, he  thus  contended  for  hymns  as  the  proper  supplement 
of  psalms,  and  he  made  his  hymns  not  only  pious,  but  also 
poetical ;  for,  as  the  North  British  Beview  said,  "  God  gave 
him  as  his  vocation  to  join  together  those  whom  men  had 
put  asunder — mental  culture  and  mtal  ^iety  f^  and  so  he  fairly 
earned  the  designation  and  distinction  which  ♦Montgomery 
gave  him  in  pronouncing  him  "  almost  the  inventor  of  hymns 
in  our  language."  Tliere  are  many  names  which  are  hallowed 
in  our  hymnology.  Mrs.  Steele,  and  Doddridge,  and  Cowper, 
and  Newton,  and  Heber,  and  Montgomery,  and  Kirke  White, 
and  Lyte,  and  many  others,  will  be  held  in  perpetual  remem- 


8  PRAISE   IN  THE   SANCTUARY. 

brance.     Next   to  "Watts,  however,  his   great   cotemporary, 
Charles  Wesley,  born  six  years  after  Watts  entered  the  minis- 
try, is  most  deserving  of  the  eulogy  of  the  Church.     The  great 
revival,  in  which  he  was  the  prominent  instrumentality,  gave 
a  new  and  a  grand  impulse  to  psalmody.     That  impulse  was 
felt  in  our  own  country.     For,  as  Cotton  Mather  said  :  "  It  is 
remarkable  that  when  the  kingdom  of  God  has  been  making 
any  new  appearance,  a  mighty  zeal  for  the  singing  of  psalms 
has  attended  it,  and  assisted  it.^''     During  "  the  great  awalcen- 
ing,^^  in  this  country,  the  people  so  abounded  in  the  singing 
of  praises  to  God,  that  Edwards  felt  there  was  need  of  guard- 
ing and  restraining  influences.     He  wrote  some  cautions  con- 
cerning this  subject,  and  discussed  the  propriety  of  "  compa- 
nies singing  in  the  streets  going  to  or  coming  from  the  place 
of  public  worship."*    There  was  at  this  time  but  little  general 
musical  cultivation,  either  in  England  or  in  our  own  countr}^ 
Popular  secular  airs,  without  regard  to  their  associations  or 
quality,  were  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  Church.     The 
earliest  musical  works  in  this  country  were  republications  of 
English  books.     The  harmonies  were  crude  and  ungrammat- 
ical.     But  about  the  time  of  the  Revolution,  the  idea  of  inde- 
pendence of  the  mother  country,  so  prevalent  in  other  rela- 
tions, began  to  be  felt  with  reference  to  the  music  of  the 
churches.      Billings,   Bead,    Morgan,    Benham,  Jenks,   and 
others,  flooded  the  country  with  light  and  frivolous  imitations 
of  the  poorest  productions  of  the  English  press.     This  state 
of  tilings  could  not  last.     The  '-''Lock  Hospital  Collection^''  and 
"  The  Harmonia  Sacra  "  introduced  a  new  era.     The  minis- 
try united  in  earnest  and  effective  endeavors  to  promote  im- 
provement in  the  art.     The  result  was  a  great  advance  in 
musical  culture.    Our  press  began  to  send  forth  new  tune- 
books,  with  increasing  rapidity.     After  a  time  every  year 
witnessed  the  advent  of  at  least  one  fresh  claimant  for  popu- 
lar favor.    That  period  has  virtually  passed  ;  and  now  the 
interest  in  hymns  has   been  awakened  to  an  extraordinary 
degree.      Yolume    after    volume    has    appeared,   until    the 
resources   for  additions    to    our    hymnology  have    become 

*  Edwards's  Works,  Yol.  III.  401. 


PRAISE   IN  THE   SANCTUARY.  9 

accessible  and  affluent  to  an  unexampled  degree.  Tlie 
natural  result  lias  begun  to  follow.  Hymns  and  tunes  are 
being  brought  together.  The  general  diffusion  of  musical 
knowledge  has  demanded  that  the  tunes  as  well  as  the  hymns 
should  be  placed  before  the  people  in  the  manuals  to  be  used 
in  the  sanctuary.  A  great  number  of  "  hymn-tune  books  " 
have  appeared,  and  are  now  making  their  way  among  the 
people,  and  a  still  larger  number  are  probably  yet  to  come. 
The  congregations  can  and  therefore  will  sing ;  and  will  have 
the  music  with  the  words. 

Must  I  apologize  for  having  thus  protracted  this  historical 
review  ?  I  think  not ;  for  in  it  we  shall  find  such  guidance 
and  assistance  for  what  remains  to  be  considered  as  will  make 
it  possible  for  us  to  reach  more  speedily  the  desired  conclu- 
sions. 

II.  In  the  light  of  this  history  let  us  seek  and,  if  possible, 
find  the  true  theory  of  Psalmody. 

First  of  all,  we  are  impressed  with  the  imperative  claims 
which  come  from  the  sacredness  and  the  power  of  those 
psalms  and  hymns  in  which  the  heart  of  the  Church  has 
uttered  itself  in  all  the  centuries.  The  importance  of  the 
Hymn-Book  should  be  emphasized.  We  would  do  well  to 
ponder  Isaac  Taylor's  words.  He  says  :*  "  In  any  system  of 
public  worship,  the  constant  element — that  is  to  say,  the  litur- 
gical— will  always  exercise  a  great  influence  over  the  varia- 
ble part — the  extemporaneous — in  giving  it  tone  and  direction, 
and  in  preserving  a  doctrinal  consistency  in  the  pulpit  teach- 
ing. It  will  be  so  at  least  wherever  this  liturgical  ingredient 
warmly  engages  the  feelings  of  the  people,  and  where  it  is 
performed  with  untiring  animation.  In  communities  that 
have  laid  aside  liturgies  in  every  other  sense,  the  Hymn-Book 
which  they  use,  especially  if  psalmody  be  a  favored  part  of 
public  worship,  rules,  as  well  the  preacher  as  the  people,  to  a 
greater  extent  than  is  often  thought,  or  than  would  perhaps 
be  acknowledged.  The  Hymn-Book,  to  such  bodies,  comes 
in  the  stead  of  Creed,  Articles,  Canons,  and  presiding  power." 
These  are  strong,  but,  like  all  that  comes  to  us  from  the  same 

*  Wesley  and  Methodism,  p.  94,  sq. 


10  PEAISE   IN  THE   SANCTUARY. 

source,  tliej  are  well-weigliecl  words,  worthy  of  our  consider- 
ation. This  branch  of  Christian  literature  cannot  be  too 
highly  regarded  or  too  carefully  watched.  From  the  begin- 
ning, the  Gospel  has  sung  its  way  into  thousands  of  hearts 
that  could  not  have  been  otherwise  reached."^  We  must  maecni- 
fy  the  meaning  and  power  of  our  hymnology.  It  gives  wings 
to  the  theology,  and  the  thought,  and  the  life  of  the  Church. 
I  cannot  do  better  than  to  quote  the  eloquent  words  of  Basil 
of  Ceesarea,  which  are  still  fresh,  though  fifteen  centuries  old. 
*'  Psalmody, "  he  wrote,  "  is  the  calm  of  the  soul,  the  repose 
of  the  spirit,  the  arbiter  of  peace.  It  is  the  Church's  voice. 
Oh !  the  sapient  design  of  our  Instructor,  appointing  that  at 
once  we  should  be  recreated  by  song,  and  informed  by  wisdom. 
Thus  the  precepts  of  instruction  are  more  deeply  engraven  on 
our  hearts  ;  for  the  lessons  which  we  receive  unwillingly  have 
a  transient  continuance  ;  but  those  which  charm  and  captivate 
in  the  hearing,  are  permanently  impressed  upon  our  souls. 
From  hence  may  not  every  thing  be  acquired  ?  Here  the  na- 
ture of  penitence  is  unfolded  ;  patience  is  here  exemplified.  Is 
there  a  blessing  to  be  named  which  here  resides  not  ?  The 
splendors  of  theology  beam  effulgent ;  Jesus  is  predicted ; 
the  resurrection  is  announced ;  judgment  is  proclaimed ;  the 
sword  of  vengeance  is  unsheathed ;  crowns  of  glory  glitter ; 
speechless  mysteries  astonish." 

If  Basil  could  say  this,  what  should  be  said  now,  after  there 
have  been  added  to  what  he  so  eulogized,  all  the  best  products 
of  fifteen  centuries  of  Christian  thought  and  aspiration  ?  Our 
psalmody  is  full  fifteen  centuries  richer  and  better  than  it  was 
when  Basil  wrote. 

Khetoric  might  exhaust  its  affluence,  and  yet  fail  to  do  jus- 
tice to  the  amplitude  and  sacredness  and  power  of  the  lan- 
guage of  song,  with  which  the  Church  has  enriched  and  enli- 
vened, stimulated  and  sustained  her  pilgrim  march  through  all 
the  centuries.  This  sacred  language,  in  which  the  thoughts 
and  feelings  of  the  devout  of  every  age  have  found  grateful 
utterance,  must  not  be  concealed,  but  only  effectively  conveyed 

*  It  is  noticeable  that  singing  is  becoming  more  and  more  a  power  in  the  foreign 
missionary  work.  The  Gospel  is  being  sung  in  the  streets  of  oriental  cities,  even 
more  than  it  is  preached,  and  it  can  be  sung  where  it  cannot  yet  be  preached. 


PRAISE   IX  THE   SAXCTUARY.  11 

bv  Art  to  the  verv  soul  of  the  living  present.     Music  is  sufH- 
ciently  honored  by  the  dignity  of  such  service.     The  melody 
is  for  the  psalm,  and  not  the  psalm  for  the  melody.     It  cannot 
be  denied  that  music  in  itself,  without  the  aid  of  words,  has  a 
peculiar  power,  Avhicli  may  be  and  should  be  consecrated  to 
rehgious   uses.      Else  why  was  there    so  much  instrumental 
music  in  tlie  worship  of  the  Tabernacle  and  of  the  Temple  ( 
Why  did  harp,  and  psaltery,  and  all  inarticulate  instruments 
speak  for  the  soul,  and  to  the  soul  of  the  Sweet  Singer  of  Is- 
rael ?     But  when  sacred  words  are  committed  to  song,  it  is  not 
tliat  they  may  seiwe  the  music,  but  that  the  music  may  serve 
them.     If  they  are  concealed  with  the  redundancies  of  art, 
then  they  are  desecrated  :  art  is  dishonored,  and  religion  is  pro- 
faned.    This  point  is  vital  to  the  true  theory  of  psalmody. 
Music   is  welcomed  to  the   sanctuary,  not  to   gratity  artistic 
tastes,  not  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  the  services,  but  to  honor 
God,  by  aiding  the  souls  of  the  worshippers  in  rendering  unto 
him  the  choicest  expressions  of  their  love  and  homage.     The 
music  should  be  worthy  of  such   exalted  service.     It  should 
be  faultless  in  conception,  and  in  tune  and  time  and  style. 
Only  the  lamb  without  spot  or  blemish  should  be  brought  to 
the  altar  of  our  God.    **  The  lame  and  the  halt"  will  not  do  for 
the  sacrifice.     But  the  soul  of  the  people  must  breathe  life  and 
power  into  the  music,  and  the  music  must  be  calculated  to  react 
upon  and  elevate  their  soul.     There  are  but  two  methods  of 
addressing  the  throne  of  infinite  grace — prayer  and  praise. 
Both  are  sacred  in  their  nature  and  imperative  in  their  obliga- 
tions.    Can  we  claim  the  full  privilege  of  prayer,  if  we  neglect 
the  duty  of  praise  (     Is  our  piety  scriptural,  if  it  does  not  sing 
as  well  as  pray  ?     Is  our  spu-it  evangelical,  if  we  have  on  our 
lips  only  a  plaint,  and  not  also  a  psalm  i    If  the  word  of  Christ 
dwell  in  us  richly,  if  we  are  ''  filled  with  the  Spirit,*'  will  we 
not  need  psalms  and  h^Tans  and  spiritual  songs,  that  we  may 
pour  forth  the  fulness  of  our  souls  and  make  melody  unto  the 
Lord  I     Can  we  delecrate  to  others,  above  all  to  *'  aliens  and 
strangers,'*  to  the  thoughtless  and  the  godless,  our  personal  priv- 
ilege of  praising  our  God  i     Will  the  histrionic  and  artistic 
semblance  of  praise  answer  the  claims  of  Him  who  searches 
every  heart,  and  waits  upon  each  for  the  ofiering  which  is  due 


12  PRAISE   IN  THE   SANCTUARY. 

unto  liis  name  ?  This  surely  is  preeminently  a  spiritual  ser- 
vice, and  a  service/br  the  jpeople.  It  is  not  to  be  classed,  witli- 
out  profanity,  among  the  secularities  of  the  Church,  to  be  reg- 
ulated by  merely  artistic  ideas,  or  on  commercial  principles. 

It  is  preeminently  the  right  and  the  privilege  and  the  duty 
of  the  people  to  take  part  in  this  service,  and  to  so  educate 
themselves  and  their  children,  that  they  can  worthily  sing  the 
praises  of  Him  who  has  said :  ''  Whoso  offereth  praise,  glorifieth 
me."  *  "  The  intent  of  singing,"  said  Fuller,  "  is  by  a  musical 
pronunciation  of  affecting  truth,  to  render  it  still  more  affect- 
ing." "  Great  caution  is  necessary,"  said  Calvin,  "  that  the 
ears  be  not  more  attentive  to  the  modulation  of  the  notes,  than 
the  mind  to  the  spiritual  import  of  the  words.  Whatever  mu- 
sic is  composed  only  to  delight  the  ear,  is  unbecoming  the 
majesty  of  the  Church,  and  cannot  but  be  highly  displeasing 
to  God."f  There  must  be  cultivation  and  refinement:  there 
must  be  instruction.  But  the  process  of  culture  must  be  car- 
ried on  under  Christian  influences,  and  with  a  Christian  pur- 
pose ;  and  the  end  must  be,  that  "  every  thing  that  hath  breath," 
that  "  cdl  the  people  "  may  unite  in  truly  praising  God.  It 
will  not  do  to  plead,  as  an  excuse  for  silence  in  the  sanctuary, 
the  lack  of  native  talent.  The  power  of  speech  and  of  song 
go  together.  Whoever  can  speak  can  be  taught  to  sing.  This 
has  been  suflSciently  demonstrated.  Therefore  the  responsi- 
bility rests  upon  all.  All  cannot  become  artists;  but  all  may, 
and  therefore  should,  learn  to  share,  in  some  humble  measure, 
in  the  exalted  privilege  of  praising  God. 

Such  undoubtedly  is  the  true  theory  concerning  this  subject, 
and  very  few  thinking  Christian  men  attempt  to  deny  this 
theory ;  but  there  are  many  who  do  believe  it  impracticable. 
This  objection  must  be  answered  in  what  remains  to  be  said. 

III.  We  have  glanced  at  the  historical  and  the  theoretical  as- 
pects of  our  theme,  and  it  only  remains  to  consider  it  practi- 
cally. There  have  been  so  many  difficulties  with  choirs  and 
with  music  committees  in  our  churches,  that  this  subject  of 
praise  in  the  sanctuary  has  come  to  be  generally  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  delicate  and  difficult  and  embarrassing  ones 

*  Psalm  50  :  23.  f  "  Institutes,"  2  :  118. 


PRAISE   IN  THE   SANCTUARY.  13 

with  which  the  Church  has  to  do.  The  blame  is  generally 
laid  upon  the  singers :  we  are  told  that  they  are  headstrong, 
jealous,  quarrelsome,  and  unreasonably  sensitive.  There  is 
doubtless  too  much  ground  for  such  charges.  But  the  fault  is 
not  chiefly  w^itli  the  choirs.  The  Church  does  not  sufficiently 
feel  her  responsibility  in  this  grave  and  important  matter  ;  and 
what  she  suffers  is  not  so  much  the  arbitrary  infliction  of  trou- 
blesome choirs,  as  it  is  the  natural  and  deserved  penalty  of  her 
own  shameful  neglect  of  duty.  Singing  in  the  sanctuary  is  a 
part  of  the  worship, — that  is  the  only  defensible  theory.  Then 
surely  it  should  be  regulated  on  the  same  general  principles, 
and  with  at  least  as  much  care  as  any  other  part  of  the  wor- 
ship. It  should  not  be  left  to  the  direction  of  the  Trustees,  to 
be  farmed  out  for  the  purpose  of  securing  such  talent  in  the 
choir  as  will  furnish  Tegular  Sabbath  concerts  in  the  church,  to 
supplement  the  insufficient  attractions  of  the  pulpit,  and  so  to  aid 
in  renting  the  pews.  The  praise  of  the  sanctuary  should  be 
under  the  immediate  direction  of  the  Session,  to  whom  is  c :m- 
mitted  the  charge  of  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  Church.  And 
they  should  seek  to  dignify  and  exalt  the  service.  The  Pastor, 
during  the  singing,  should  not  be  turning  the  leaves  of  his 
manuscript,  or  be  consulting  with  the  Sexton  or  with  an  Elder  ; 
he  should  show,  by  his  attentive  and  reverential  manner,  and, 
if  possible,  by  actual  participation  in  the  service,  that  he  is 
truly  seeking  to  praise  God.  He  should  be  an  example  to  the 
flock  in  this  regard.  Every  minister  of  Christ  should  learn  to 
sing  as  well  as  to  pray.  If  he  has  not  been  instructed,  he  is 
wanting  in  one  most  important  qualification  for  his  w^ork. 
There  should  be  a  choir.  A  precentor  will  prove  a  failure. 
Because  some  of  our  large  assemblies  are  successfully  led  by  a 
single  voice,  there  are  those  who  suppose  that  a  precentor  will 
be  sufficient  for  the  leading  of  the  praises  of  the  sanctuary. 
But  it  should  be  remembered  that  our  anniversary  gath- 
erings, and  our  great  convocations,  are  made  up  of  the  select 
ones  from  many  different  quarters ;  and  in  them  are  grouped 
together  such  an  array  of  voices  as  cannot  be  found  in  any 
ordinary  congregation.  I  say  there  should  be  a  choir.  But 
its  leader  should  by  all  means  be  a  devout  man,  knowing  what 
it  means  to  praise  God.     And  the  choir  should  not  be  made 


14  PRAISE   IN  THE   SANCTUARYo 

up  without  reference  to  the  spiritual  dignity  and  importance 
of  the  service  in  which  they  are  to  lead.  The  young  people 
who  gatlier  in  the  choir  will  need  to  be  supported  and  bal- 
anced by  those  of  calmer  and  maturer  age.  The  Asaj^hs,  the 
Hemans,  and  the  Jeduthuns  must  make  some  sacrifice,  if  ne- 
cessary, that  they  may  not  vacate  their  places  in  the  choir  be- 
fore those  places  can  be  judiciously  and  safely  filled.  The 
Pastor  and  the  Elders  should  often  attend  upon  the  rehearsals 
of  the  choir,  not  only  to  show  their  interest  in  the  subject,  but 
to  maintain  their  proper  supervision,  and  to  continually  re- 
mind the  singers  of  the  sacredness  and  spirituality  of  the  ser- 
vice which  it  is  at  once  their  honor  and  their  privilege  to  lead. 
At  these  rehearsals,  the  blessing  of  God  should  always  be  in- 
voked, and  at  least  one  hymn  should  be  sung,  not  critically, 
but  devotionally,  with  such  comments  as  the  leader,  the  Pastor, 
or  an  Elder  present,  may  add  to  enforce  the  spiritual  signifi- 
cance of  the  words.  The  organist  should  be  a  Christian  ;  for 
how  can  a  man  who  is  destitute  of  true  religious  emotions 
make  that  noble  instrument  express,  in  harmony  and  melody, 
genuine  Christian  feeling?  how  can  he  make  it  speak  to  ov  for 
the  hearts  of  the  worshippers  1  And,  as  already  intimated, 
the  people  should  not  be  denied  their  rightful  privilege  of  join- 
ing in  the  service.  Pather,  by  all  possible  means,  they  should 
be  invited  and  stimulated  to  the  dischar^re  of  this  sacred  dutv. 
The  music  should  be  put  before  them  with  the  hymns.  A 
"  hymn-tune  book  "  is  an  invaluable  help  to  secure  the  proper 
habits  in  the  congregation.  Its  very  presence  in  the  pew  is  a 
direct  invitation  to  the  occupants  to  join  in  the  worship. 
"When  such  a  book  has  been  introduced,  it  will  be  both  pleas- 
ant and  profitable  for  the  congregation  occasionally  to  be  in- 
vited to  remain*  after  the  weekly  lecture  or  prayer-meeting,  or 
after  some  other  public  service,  to  rehearse  together,  both  for 
their  improvement  in  singing,  and  for  devotional  enjoyment. 
I  think  when  w^e  get  to  heaven,  and  join  the  unnumbered 
choir,  we  shall  wonder,  not  that  we  had  so  many  meetings  for 
prayer,  but  that  we  had  so  few  meetings  for  praise.  The 
hymn-tune  book  will  secure  many  important  ends.  It  will  se- 
cure the  proper  adaptation  of  the  tune  to  the  hymn ;  it  will 
prevent  the  choir  from  singing  tha.t  in  which  the  congregation 


PKAISE   I^r  THE  S.INCTUAEY.  15 

cannot  join  ;  it  will  speak  continually  to  the  people  concern- 
ing their  responsibility  to  aid  in  the  praises  of  God ;  and  its 
tendency  will  be  to  make  the  mnsic  of  the  home  the  same  with 
that  of  the  church.  It  will  not  deprive  the  choir  of  the  privi- 
lege of  singing  something  by  themselves,  thus  exerting  an  ele- 
vating influence  upon  the  congregation.  They  can  sing  an 
introductory  anthem  at  every  service ;  and  by  the  style  and 
spirit  of  this  performance,  they  can  make  the  people  feel  the 
refining  and  stimulating  power  of  a  worthy  example.  The 
Pastor  can  do  much  good  by  occasionally  preaching  to  his  peo- 
ple upon  this  subject,  and  by  showing,  by  his  example,  that 
he  feels  its  importance.  It  will  be  necessary,  especially  in  the 
country,  that  the  church  be  at  some  pains  and  expense  to  pro- 
mote musical  instruction.  They  may,  to  great  advantage,  oc- 
casionally secure  the  temporary  services  of  a  teacher  from 
abroad.  It  may  be  excellent  economy  for  them  to  select  a 
suitable  Christian  young  man  from  their  own  number,  and,  at 
their  own  expense,  send  him  where  he  can  receive  thorough 
culture  ;  for  he  will  come  back  to  them  to  make  his  influence 
felt  through  all  the  congregation  for  many  years.  This  will 
cost  something  ;  but  it  cost  David  sometliing  to. provide  four 
thousand  instrmnents  of  music  for  the  Levites,  and  to  educate 
and  maintain  the  choir  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight  chosen 
singers  ;  and  can  we,  any  more  than  he,  expect  to  off'er  rinto 
God,  in  acceptable  sacrifice,  that  which  has  cost  us  nothing  ? 

If  these  practical  principles  are  adopted,  in  dependence  u]3on 
God's  blessing,  I  knoAv — (it  is  not  a  theory  with  me) — I  know 
that  there  will  be  the  best  results ;  and  we  shall  cease  to  hear 
complaints  of  choirs,  or  to  be  afllicted  in  the  sanctuary  with 
the  jargon  of  discordant  voices  ;  or  to  be  insulted  there  with 
the  artistic  flippancy  and  pretension  of  music  and  musicians, 
that  are  borrowed  from  the  devil,  devoted  to  his  service  dur- 
ing the  week,  but  lent,  or  hired  out,  to  the  service  of  God  on 
the  Sabbath. 

There  are  many  other  things  which  press  for  consideration, 
but  I  must  relieve  your  patience. 

My  brethren,  we  have  a  work  to  do  with  reference  to  this 
subject,  which  we  have  already  neglected  too  long.  God  is 
not  so  honored  in  our  churches  as  he  should  be.     The  2:lorv  of 


16  PEAISE  IN  THE  SANCTUARY. 

his  great  name  is  dear  to  our  hearts.  Let  us  then,  I  pray  you, 
see  to  it  that  praise,  true.  Christian  praise,  waits  for  hirn  ever 
in  our  sanctuaries.  There  is  power  with  God  not  only  in 
prayer,  but  also  in  praise.  Praise  consummates  prayer.  God 
often  waits  to  bestow  his  blessing  till  he  hears  the  voice  of 
Christian  song.  When  Judali  was  threatened  by  '*'  the  child- 
ren of  Amnion,  Moab,  and  Mount  Seir,''  -  then  Jehoshaphat 
did  not  only  pray,  but  he  appointed  "  Singers  unto  the  Lord, 
and  that  should  praise  the  beauty  of  holiness,  as  they  went  out 
before  the  army."  And  it  was  when  they  began  to  sing  and 
to  praise,  that  the  Lord  interfered  for  their  deliverance,  and 
smote  then-  enemies.  And,  at  the  dedication  of  the  Temple, 
it  was  when  the  singers  ''  lifted  up  their  voice  with  the  trum- 
pets and  cymbals  and  instruments  of  music,  and  praised  the 
Lord,  saying :  For  he  is  good ;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for- 
ever,''— it  was  then,  and  not  during  the  sacrifice  or  the  prayer, 
that  the  Temple  was  filled  with  a  cloud,  *'  so  that  the  priests 
could  not  stand  to  minister,  by  reason  of  the  cloud  ;  for  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  had  filled  the  house  of  God."t  It  was  when 
Paul  and  SilQ.i  sa/ig  j}/mses,  as  well  as  prayed,  that  their  bands 
were  loosed  and  the  prison-doors  were  thrown  open.  So  has 
it  always  been,  and  so  will  it  always  be,  for  our  God  is  jeal- 
ous of  his  honor,  and  waits  to  be  gracious  till  we  give  unto 
liim  the  glory  due  unto  his  name.  Praise  is  the  fitting  lan- 
guage for  the  soul's  deepest  thought  and  highest  aspiration. 
God  our  Maker  giveth  "  songs  in  the  night."  The  Christian, 
when  his  anguish  is  too  deep  for  ordinary  expression,  breaks 
forth  into  song,  and  so  finds  relief.*  I  saw  a  believer  whose 
sorrow  I  knew  was  superlative,  stand  by  the  open  grave,  which 
was  to  receive  all  that  was  dearest  to  her  heart,  and  sing, 
when  those  who  were  not  bereaved  could  only  weep.  The 
mother  of  the  "Wesleys,  when  dying,  said  to  her  weeping  child- 
ren gathered  around  her  :  "  Children^  when  I  am  gone^  sing  a 
jpsalm  of  praise  .^"  What  rehef,  alleviation,  and  comfort,  can 
the  soul  find  that  can  lift  itself  toward  God  in  song.  The  pil- 
grim quickens  his  footsteps  with  the  hymn  of  hope  and  hea- 
ven ;  the  bravest  soldier  is  he  who  can  sing  as  he  marches  to 

*  2  Chron.  20  :  22.  f  2  Chron.  5:13. 


PRAISE    IN   THE   SANCTUARY.  17 

the  battle.  When  the  sailor  can  sing  at  the  windlass,  then  the 
anchor  is  light !  Song  quickens  the  pulses  of  Christian  living 
lightens  its  burdens,  alleviates  its  sufferings,  soothes  its  sor- 
rows, allays  its  fears,  and  stimulates  its  hopes.  Brethren,  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  svhile  militant,  should  ever  be  vocal, 
and  eloquent  with  her  psalm  and  hymn  of  praise.  With  such 
a  God  and  such  a  Gospel  every  one  should  sing.  Oh  !  that  we 
and  our  people  might  be  filled  with  the  Spirit,  that  the  Word 
of  Christ  might  dwell  richly  in  us  and  in  them  !  Then  would 
all  our  sanctuaries  be  resonant  with  tliose  true  heart-melodies, 
which  are  sweeter  to  the  ear  of  the  Father  than  the  songs  of 
angels,  because  they  connect  with  that  sacramental  hymn 
which  Jesus  sang  just  before  he  went  to  the  Mount  of  Olives. 


